A DNS mapper is the process by which organizations like internet service providers (ISPs), enterprises, governments, universities, and others, assign ranges of IP addresses for their domains. This allows for the mapping of a website to an existing domain, which is a fundamental aspect of making websites accessible on the internet.
In simpler terms, it's the method of associating a human-readable domain name (like example.com) with the numerical IP address (like 192.0.2.1) where the website's server is located. This mapping is crucial because people remember domain names easier than IP addresses.
Key Aspects of DNS Mapping:
- Translation: DNS mapping translates domain names into IP addresses, allowing browsers to connect to the correct server.
- Domain Management: It provides a mechanism to manage and update the IP address associated with a domain name, which is essential when a website is moved to a different server.
- Accessibility: Ensures that websites are accessible using their domain names, rather than requiring users to know the underlying IP address.
- IP Address Ranges: Organizations are responsible for allocating and managing the IP address ranges assigned to their domains.
Example Scenario:
Imagine you type "google.com" into your web browser. Without DNS mapping, your computer wouldn't know which server hosts Google's website. The DNS mapper system works behind the scenes to:
- Your computer queries a DNS server.
- The DNS server looks up the IP address associated with "google.com".
- The DNS server returns the IP address (e.g., 142.250.185.142).
- Your browser then uses this IP address to connect to Google's server and retrieve the website.
Significance:
DNS mapping is critical for the functionality of the internet. Without it, navigating the web would be cumbersome and user-unfriendly. The process enables a user-friendly experience by translating memorable domain names into the numerical addresses that computers use to communicate.
